Dave and Tiny Joe stretch one.
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Training camp starts early. Weanlings learn to stand tied, have their feet handled/trimmed, and are started on round pen
basics and trailer loading. Left to right: Mud, Ike and Rawhide. Visit the "horses" page under "prospects" to see the
full pedigrees of these roping-bred weanlings from proven PRCA/NFR and AQHA championship bloodlines.
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Above 4 photos, left to right: Two-year olds are taught to accept a rope all around them from the ground, quietly
flex laterally and vertically, walk, trot and lope under saddle, and to accept a rider swinging a loop above and on
all sides. Before this stage of training, they are taught to drive around the round pen and give to pressure without
a saddle. They are saddled loose (versus being tied or restrained) for the first few times and ridden in a halter. Slowly,
the snaffle and under-saddle work are introduced.
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Above: X2D horses are exposed to the trail and rugged terrain as soon as possible. Here, Ropin' Rocky (Sir Waggoner Deck/Rapids Cupcake by Rapid Bar) stands hobbled in the rain at hunting camp this year. As soon as colts or older horses are able, they help pack into and out of camp and learn to stand tied to a high line or hobbled.
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Above: This buckskin gelding owned by Claudia (see testimonials) gets hard miles and huntin' camp exposure in the high country.
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Above: More colts and horses at huntin' camp, 2006. Hunting Camp photos by Quinn Smith.
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Above: Dave puts the first ride on a red roan filly, winter 2004.
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Above: Dave starts Lil Man tracking a lead steer, 2004. (see testimonials)
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Colts and horses in training are exposed to and used in real ranch situations, such as gathering, branding, sorting, dragging calves to the fire, and lots of miles in a day. Photos by Holly Gould.
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Branding day at the Gould Ranch. Cousin Jed Roark, Clinton Gould (standing), Guy Gould, and cousin Tom Roark
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Above: Dave and Chalk (owned by the Shumperts) at the branding this spring at the Gould Ranch in eastern Colorado. Colts and horses in training are used to help our cousin, Jed Roark, gather, brand and sort cattle.
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Jed drags in a calf while Dave heads for another one
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Brandin' 2006.
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Dave ropin calves on Tiny Joe(horse in training)
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Wily and Dave sortin' at the Martin Black clinic, August 2007
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